#35
Post
by South » 15 Feb 2019, 19:44
Good afternoon Delta Tank / Mike,
Rich TO is correct.
It really was politics; not logic.
As important as stepping stone bases were, there were more powerful domestic US interests. Recall that retired General MacArthur worked for the Quezon government as a Field Marshall. Again, politics was heavily involved.
In the late 1920s-1930s US opinion started to accept an independent Philippines. For a reference point / benchmark, look at the near parallel British Act of Westminster, 1931 with its 10 year transition. An independent Philippines was a major matter for the domestic US agricultural bloc and the domestic US labor bloc. How do you say "highly competitive competition into a tariff-free marketplace" auf Tagalog ?
The first severance act was the 1932 Hawer-Cutting Act. This contained the 10 year transition in it. The Philippine political establishment rejected the Act. In 1934 Congress passed the Philippine Independence Act (Tydings McDuffie Act (Think of Cuba and the Platt Amendment).
The Commonwealth of the Philippines was created in 1935. They had financial problems - in Tagalog and other languages.
The Japanese attack was 8 Dec 41 , hours after Pearl Harbor.
The above 2 entries have some missing material I could never learn about. The already in-place Philippine constitution had national elections scheduled for the end of 1945. Of course, other matters took precedence. The war's chaos caused delays.
Independence was proclaimed on 4 July 1946, with the obvious 4th of July symbolism.
There is much intrigue and much just plain military necessity also going on.
US and Phil agreements and the later treaties involved "intrigue". For example, Olongapo was not de jure Philippine territory as per routine governmental operations, It was part of Subic Bay Naval Base (until 1959). It was "governed" by whoever was the USN commander of Subic. There was some strategic planning going on all along because the USN facilities were getting ready to work the Korean War.
A Conclusion; Domestic US political interests controlled much of the Phil's history. Can't do the typing to discuss the trade preferences and the
fighting on and around Capitol Hill, D.C.
~ Bob
eastern Virginia, USA
cc: Jeepney Drivers Association, Ramon Magsaysay Drive
Foot Note: I am now in the mood for a San Miguel.